Deploying Printers with Group Policy using security filtering

I've always wanted to allow a user to have a printer no matter where they login. The steps below will show you how to achieve just that.

In this Article I'll show how to deploy printers automatically with group policy and then using security filtering to only deploy the group policy to members of a particular security group.

To follow these steps I will be assuming that you have already setup a windows print server. In the example below I have used a windows 2003 virtual server in a 2003 AD Domain.

Install the printer on the print server as you would any other network printer. Create a new global group that will be given access to the GPO and thus the printer

Then create your GP object:
Create a new GP object with appropriate name
Go to User Configuration – Windows Settings – and open Logon
Click on showfiles (Fig 1)and copy the file pushprinterconnections.exe into there (52KB)


Then click add and on script name type in pushprinterconnections.exe  (Fig 2) and click OK
 
Giving appropriate access:
In the GPOE select the OU the GPO is under and expand on the left until you can click on the GP (fig.3)

On the right hand side on the scope tab look below to see Security Filtering
Remove "Authenticated Users"
Add the global group you want to give access to the Group Policy
Deploying the printer on the print server:
In the printer management console right click the printer and click Deploy via group policy(fig 4)

 
Click Browse and navigate to your newly created GPO  (Fig .5)


 Select so that the GP only applies on the (per user)  (Fig .6)

Click Add

Hope you will find this Article helpful for your own printer deployments.